Golfers at all skill levels seek to improve their performance, lower their golf scores, and reach that next performance “level.” Manufacturers of all types of golf equipment attempt to respond to these demands by changing the golf equipment. The performance of a golf club can vary based on several factors, including weight distribution about the head, which generally affects the location of the center of gravity of the golf club head, as well as the mass moment of inertia.
Club designers and manufacturers often look for new ways to redistribute weight associated with a golf club and/or golf club head. For instance, club designers are often looking to distribute weight to provide more forgiveness in a club head, improved accuracy, better spin control, or to provide a particular golf ball trajectory and the like. Various approaches have been implemented for positioning discretionary mass about a golf club head.
To achieve significant localized mass, weights formed of high-density materials have been attached to the sole, skirt, and other parts of a club head. With these types of weights, the method of installation is critical because the club head endures significant loads at impact with a golf ball, which can dislodge the weight. Thus, in some examples, these weights may be permanently attached to the club head and are limited in total mass, which, of course, permanently fixes the club head's center of gravity. In other instances, individual weights are secured to the club head by way of fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, etc.). For example, U.S. Pub. 2013/0303304 to Sato shows a golf club head having a number of threaded ports in the sole into which weighted elements may be screwed. U.S. Pub. 2013/0165255 to Bezilla et al. shows a golf club head having a weight mounting portion defined on a perimeter of the sole to which a weight member is secured via a fastener.
Although current designs allow a golfer to manipulate the mass characteristics of a golf club, there are numerous drawbacks. For example, rearrangement of one or more weights on a club head may be a time consuming process, as a golfer must fully unscrew and remove a weight in order to reposition the weight to a desired location. Furthermore, once fully removed from the club head during repositioning, weights may be lost or misplaced. Additionally, a golfer may not fully appreciate or understand various weight combinations and/or placement and their effects on performance characteristics of the club head, thus leading to unexpected performance of the club (e.g., more/less than desired spin, higher/lower than desired trajectory, more/less than desired distance, etc.) and possible frustration during play.